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newbie ?s

0

okay folks ~

newbie ? for new tank - 5 gal hex (marineland with 3 stage filtration) being set up to be a home for a betta. want it to be planted. have been lurking and read about cycling. noted a post while lurking, can't find it now of course, that indicated cycling not being needed for a planted tank. did i read / understand that correctly? do i cycle my planted tank? have the items suggested on the list for needed supplies, including my fresh water test kit

Unless your tank is very heavily planted you will still need to cycle the tank. A "silent cycle" needs more plants than most of us have or are willing to have in our tanks.

When I go fishing I just place a sharp rock in the water and sit there waiting for all the dead fish to float to the top... KingfisherBrutal honesty will be shown on this screen.I think my fish is adjusting well to the four gallon, He's laying on his side attempting to go to sleep on the bottom of the gravel.Tolerance is a great thing to have, so is the ability to shut up.I can explain it to you, but I can't understand it for you.

You are welcome. Also keep in mind, I don't think it is so much that the plants actually cycle the tank, but they use up the ammonia as it is being produced by the fish. This is why the tank has to be so heavily planted and so lightly stocked. If the balance between fish and plants isn't exactly right, the fish will suffer ammonia and then nitrite poisoning.

When I go fishing I just place a sharp rock in the water and sit there waiting for all the dead fish to float to the top... KingfisherBrutal honesty will be shown on this screen.I think my fish is adjusting well to the four gallon, He's laying on his side attempting to go to sleep on the bottom of the gravel.Tolerance is a great thing to have, so is the ability to shut up.I can explain it to you, but I can't understand it for you.

It would take a huge amount of ammonia to kill off the plant, the fish would be long dead before the plants. I've fish-less cycled tanks with plants and bottled ammonia and the plants were fine with ammonia levels of 4ppm.

When I go fishing I just place a sharp rock in the water and sit there waiting for all the dead fish to float to the top... KingfisherBrutal honesty will be shown on this screen.I think my fish is adjusting well to the four gallon, He's laying on his side attempting to go to sleep on the bottom of the gravel.Tolerance is a great thing to have, so is the ability to shut up.I can explain it to you, but I can't understand it for you.

I'm sure extended time being exposed to high levels of ammonia would kill off the plants, but for cycling they should be alright. And I do agree, the OP should cycle the tank fish-less. This insures the fish will not be harmed by ammonia.

When I go fishing I just place a sharp rock in the water and sit there waiting for all the dead fish to float to the top... KingfisherBrutal honesty will be shown on this screen.I think my fish is adjusting well to the four gallon, He's laying on his side attempting to go to sleep on the bottom of the gravel.Tolerance is a great thing to have, so is the ability to shut up.I can explain it to you, but I can't understand it for you.

someone mentioning that plants aren't good with that, just citing my source ;)

Please link to the specific post or identify it by number also so that we are not required to read an entire thread in an attempt to confirm your source. It will save everybody a lot of time.

Gas mileage isn't everythingOIIIIIIIOLack of planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part.Why pretend there are no stupid questions? Actually, There are many stupid questions: "Should I drink this bleach?" Is just one example.
Having said that, Just because it's a stupid question doesn't mean that it shouldn't be asked. It's better to know.A warm beer is better than a cold beer. Because nothing is better than a cold beer, and a warm beer is better than nothing.